The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal

File Photo

October 1, 1979 -- After 70 years of American control, the Panama Canal was formally handed over to Panama. In this May 20, 1913 photo, steam shovels clear the last pile of rock, completing one of several deep cuts along the route. The canal, completed in 1914, provided a long-awaited sea link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

October 1, 1979 -- After 70 years of American control, the Panama Canal was formally handed over to Panama. In this May 20, 1913 photo, steam shovels clear the last pile of rock, completing one of several deep cuts along the route. The canal, completed in 1914, provided a long-awaited sea link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. (File Photo)

October 1, 1979 -- After 70 years of American control, the Panama Canal was formally handed over to Panama. In this May 20, 1913 photo, steam shovels clear the last pile of rock, completing one of several deep cuts along the route. The canal, completed in 1914, provided a long-awaited sea link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.